Two recordings of phone calls, a surveillance video, and a stack of photos Siao Fan had used for comparison.

Feigning panic, Xu Ke took the evidence to the police.

Extortion, disturbing public order, harassment… Any of them were possible charges.

In the worst-case scenario, it would be enough to keep Siao Fan detained for over ten days. After all, Siao Fan really had intended to kill him.

The police officers sympathized deeply with Xu Ke after hearing Siao Fan's death threats. They immediately dispatched and assured Xu Ke that they would be responsible for his personal safety. There would be absolutely no problem.

By the time Xu Ke was escorted home, the notification arrived.

Siao Fan was locked up.

「Eleven o'clock.」

Chang Xiujuan frantically called Xu Ke, but he blocked her number. How many phone numbers could a middle-aged woman possibly have to harass him with? After he blocked one or two, tranquility returned to his home.

Having dealt with Siao Fan, Xu Ke slept soundly.

「Felice Grand Hotel.」

Inside the most luxurious presidential suite, the sound of running water echoed from the bathroom. Clearly, someone was taking a shower.

Clad in a white bathrobe, Siao Jia stood before the floor-to-ceiling windows, overlooking the Tianhai skyline at night. Her face was placid, betraying no hint of joy or sorrow as a voice streamed continuously from the phone in her hand.

"You have to get him out."

"I'm begging you."

"And that Xu Ke… you have to destroy him! Otherwise… otherwise, he'll definitely keep harassing you, threatening you to get money from Ye Chen!" Chang Xiujuan pleaded desperately, sobbing.

She had completely lost her pillar of strength after Siao Fan was taken away. Now, Siao Jia was the only person she could pin her hopes on. If Siao Jia refused to help, she would be at the end of her rope.

Hearing Chang Xiujuan's desperate sobs, Siao Jia sneered, "Isn't this what he brought upon himself?"

"How can you say he brought this on himself? How could he? It was all Xu Ke! He framed him!" Chang Xiujuan wailed.

Siao Jia laughed even harder. "If he weren't so stupid and reckless, how could Xu Ke have gotten any leverage on him?"

Chang Xiujuan didn't like hearing Siao Jia scold Siao Fan, but she had to agree just to appease her. "Yes, but he's still a child! Isn't it normal that he doesn't understand these things? We should take better care of him!"

Siao Jia scoffed, "A child? Could a 'child' commit such despicable acts?"

"Jia, don't talk like that," Chang Xiujuan pleaded. "Even if you don't like me, don't dislike Siao Fan. He's your brother, after all. You have to save him!"

"Impossible." Siao Jia's gaze was cold. After what Siao Fan and Chang Xiujuan had done to her, she could never forgive them.

If she hadn't been lucky enough to catch Ye Chen's eye, who knows what street she'd be lying on right now.

"You…"

Seeing Siao Jia's flat refusal, Chang Xiujuan froze. Her pleading instantly turned to vicious cursing. "You jinx! This is all your fault! It's because of that boyfriend you found that our Siao family is in this mess! Your brother got dragged into this because of you, and now you won't even lift a finger to help!"

"You unfilial daughter!"

"Do you want the Siao family line to end?!"

Chang Xiujuan's pleas turned to insults. Realizing Siao Jia had no intention of helping, she had a complete breakdown.

A look of satisfaction crossed Siao Jia's eyes. This was the exact scene she loved to see most: watching them crumble. It was just a pity she couldn't see Siao Fan kneeling and begging her for mercy in person.

Just then, the sound of water from the bathroom stopped.

An idea suddenly struck Siao Jia.

As Ye Chen pushed the bathroom door open, Siao Jia's expression instantly switched from satisfaction to sorrow. She began sobbing into the phone, "Mom, stop crying. Please don't worry. Even if I'm not very capable, I can't just sit by and do nothing about my brother's situation. Just have him rest at home. If Xu Ke gives you any trouble, I'll do my best to handle it."

Chang Xiujuan was taken aback, her tirade halting. "Really? You mean it?"

"Don't get so upset you make yourself sick. Whatever difficulties come, just let me handle them." Siao Jia completely ignored Chang Xiujuan, talking to herself in a pitiful, near-tears voice that was the very picture of misery.

Chang Xiujuan finally understood. "You… are you still using me?!"

Siao Jia's words were a tearful lament. But her speech was obviously not about rescuing Siao Fan; it was about getting revenge on Xu Ke!

Chang Xiujuan was furious.

Just then, a handsome Ye Chen walked over, also dressed in a white bathrobe. "What's wrong, baby?"

The moment he spoke, Siao Jia acted as if she'd been caught doing something wrong, hurriedly hanging up the phone. "N-nothing!"

"If you've encountered any trouble, you can talk to me about it." Ye Chen wrapped his arms around Siao Jia's slender waist from behind and nuzzled her neck.

"I… I'm fine. I don't want to trouble you," Siao Jia stammered, biting her lip as her eyes brimmed with tears.

Ye Chen pulled Siao Jia around to face him. "You're my girlfriend now. You have to tell me when something's wrong. Otherwise, wouldn't I be failing at my job as a boyfriend?"

A look of deep affection shone in his eyes. Combined with his handsome features, the effect was heart-stopping.

Siao Jia almost believed him.

She sneered inwardly. He was so full of sweet talk, all just to toy with women.

However, since she needed to use Ye Chen against Xu Ke, Siao Jia naturally wouldn't call him out on it.

She bit her lip and said in a trembling voice, "After my ex-boyfriend and I broke up, he's been pestering me. He even extorted sixty thousand from me recently. Today, he went to harass my brother and my mom."

"Is that so?" Ye Chen raised his eyebrows slightly. "What's his deal?"

Siao Jia began to cry, her soft sobs laced with regret and sorrow. "He… he's just an unemployed drifter," she stuttered. "He was so ambitious in college, but I don't know what happened while I was getting my master's degree. He became a completely different person. I tried so many times to encourage him to work hard, but he just ignored me."

"I couldn't stand his laziness anymore, so I broke up with him."

"I never thought he would…" Siao Jia broke down completely, tears streaming down her face on command.

"Okay, okay, don't cry," Ye Chen said, embracing her and letting her tears wet his bathrobe. "I'll take care of this for you."

"No, don't," Siao Jia hurriedly refused. "Young Master Ye, you've been kind enough to me already. I can't trouble you any further."

"What's the trouble?" Ye Chen sneered, a hint of utter disdain in his eyes. "Crushing an unemployed drifter isn't much harder than crushing an ant."

"But…" Siao Jia seemed to want to refuse again, but her eyes flashed with intense glee.

"Don't worry about it. Leave it to me." Ye Chen hugged Siao Jia, then his hands began to wander. "We can't waste our precious night."

Siao Jia moaned softly and collapsed into Ye Chen's arms…

Outside the window, the stars were twinkling.

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